Continuous profile.
Linear shapes.
Bulk plastic.
Plastic extrusion produces continuous profile shapes — pipes, sheets, tubes, custom profiles. Different from injection molding (discrete parts). Volume-economical for linear products.
Key principles.
Continuous melt + die
Plastic pellets melted, extruded through shaped die, cooled, cut.
Tubes, sheets, profiles
PVC pipe, PE bags, sheet plastic, window frame profiles.
Most thermoplastic
PVC, PE, PP, PS, ABS, PC, PEEK all extrude.
±0.2 mm typical
Cross-section ±0.2 mm. Length any. Better with secondary calibration.
Low per unit
Once die made, very low per-meter cost. Tooling $10-50K.
1 km+ minimum
Economical at 1 km+ continuous production. Below, CNC bar stock often cheaper.
FAQ
Profile complexity?
Custom dies for any profile shape. Hollow, multi-chamber, fluted, multi-color all possible.
Tolerance achievable?
±0.2 mm typical. Tighter via in-line calibration, post-extrusion machining.
Material selection?
PVC pipe most common. PE for film/bag. PP for ropes/textiles. Engineering plastics for specialty.
Coextrusion?
Multiple plastics in single profile (e.g., outer + inner layer). Standard technique.
Length limitations?
Continuous — coiled or cut to length. Practical limit shipping/handling.
Compared to injection?
Extrusion: continuous, linear, lower per-meter cost. Injection: discrete parts, complex geometry, higher per-piece cost.